Hey all, figured some fellow mini folks could offer some comforting words about moving on from an old mini/car. I've had my 04' electric blue Cooper S for almost 9 years and I'm a bit torn up about parting with it. I've had a lot fixed on it over the years but recently a whole bunch of things went south. The water pump needs replacing, as well as all 3 power steering lines have bad leaks, and my oil pan gasket needs changing, etc. My father always was able to fix anything on my car, but I now live across the country, and figured a newer one may be the way to go. It's been on so many roadtrips with me, and has just been my favorite thing for so long, it's hard to part with. I'm trading it in for a 2015 black Cooper S tomorrow, and its so hard to think about handing the keys over and never driving it again!

If you can't do the repairs yourself it is probably a wise move. Sometimes I wish I had held onto some old cars of mine, but only one of them was truly a car I'd still want to drive, 83 BMW 320IS. I think I gave you a mixed message! Enjoy the new ride.

If you still love the car, I'd do a little cold, hard math. What's the down payment and monthly payment of a new car? How much do you need to sink into your EB MCS to make it good again. Let's say:

New car: $2500 DP, 400/month.

That's nearly $7K in the first year. If you put half that into your current car would it be a usable tool for you?